Clasp



Sept. i0, 1935. J, F, MQSOLEY- 2,013,760

CLASP Filed June 4, 1934 Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES piattePATENT FFEQE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to clasps of a type which, while available to aWide range of uses, are particularly adaptable to jewelry findings asused in the manufacture of such articles as ear ornaments, brooches orornaments for dresses, hats,

shoes, pocketbooks, and the like.

Such a clasp is usually attached to the ornament proper and forms ameans of securing such ornament in position.

l0 When used to secure an ornament to the person, as in the case of anear ornament, the clasp should rmly engage the ear lobe, withoututilizing undue pressure. When a clasp or clamp relies solely uponspring pressure, or a screw y threaded securing means, the Vconstantpressure which is developed tends to become an irritation and it is oneof the objects of the present invention to provide a clasp which willhold satisfactorily, will not slip, and at the same time eliminate theobjectionable constant pressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clasp which is readilyadjustable to any degree of tightness desired by the user, and whichwill hold securely in the position which the wearer finds mostcomfortable and with the least pressure.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects which will appearas the description proceeds, reference is made to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. l is a. perspective view illustrating a use ofthe invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a nding embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the finding and an ornament attachedthereto.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the finding; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing in which like referencenumerals designate like parts, it will be observed that the findingcomprises a body member I0 which is preferably in the form of a flatplate having one end reversely bent to form an S-shaped portion I2,terminating in a spreader I4. In order to provide a linished end and toavoid sharp points, the spreader I Il may be turned inwardly at itsextremity as indicated at I6.

'Ihe spreader I4 may be slotted inwardly from its end as indicated atI8, thus providing two fingers 20 and 22, which by virtue of theinherent resiliency of the metal, will yield toward each other.

K A lever member 28 is formed with a reversely bent, or curved, portion30 terminating in a pair of ears 32--313 which are perforated to receivelugs 2li and 26 respectively of the member l0, a pivot or hingeconnection, between the base member I0 and the lever member 28 beingthus 5 provided.

The lever is formed with an internal slot or opening 36, the width ofwhich is very slightly less than the over-all width of the spreader I4,and the internal sides or edges of the slot are 10 serrated at 38 and 49to form racks, engageable with the edges of the spreader I4, when theclasp is closed. Oppositely disposed protuberances 42 and 44 are formedin the extremities of the base member and lever remote from the hingecon-V l5 nection, for the purpose of preventing slipping when the deviceis in use.

Any suitable ornament may be secured to the outer face of the basemember IU, a stone 66 being illustrated in the drawing. If desired, a 20pendant may be attached or, for that matter, the member Il) itself maybe suitably engraved or decorated or made of such shape as to avoid theneed for attachment to any additional ornament.

In the use and operation of the device, the 25 base member and lever areassembled by springing the ears 32-34 over the lugs 24-26 which thuslocates the protuberances 152-@ inwardly of the clasp, and opposite eachother, and places the spreader I4 opposite the opening 3. 30

When the lever is moved into a position tending to close the clasp, thespreader Ill of the base member will extend into the opening 36 and willtend to spread apart the racks 38 and 40, while at the same time biasingthe lingers 20 35 and 22 toward each other, thus creating a frictionalengagement between racks and fingers.

It will be evident that this frictional engagement will hold the leverin any desired position of adjustment, that is, in the position thewearer 40 finds most comfortable and at the least pressure, theindentations l2-fill serving to prevent the clasp from slipping out ofthe desired position of adjustment. The foregoing arrangement eliminatesthe constant pressure which has been 45 found objectionable in springtype earings.

The lever is used as an adjuster to tighten the ornament to the ear asthe wearer desires and this is accomplished merely by moving the leverup or down as necessary. 50

While the invention has lbeen described in its particular adaptation toan ear-ring, it is intended that the ear-ring is but illustrative of anembodiment and shall not be limited exclusively to such form, norlimited other than as set forth 55 in the appended claims, as obviouslymany other adaptations and modications will occur to those skilled inthe art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:- l. A clasp comprisinga body member having a leverpivoted thereto, and forming with said bodyember a pair of clamping jaws, said body member having an integralprojection extending beyond the pivot point, and said lever having anintegral portion positioned to receive and frictionally engage saidprojection upon relative movement of said jaws, said projection andlever portion being conjointly eiiective to retain said lever in anydesired position of adjustment relative to said body member.

2. A clasp comprising a body member formed with a curved end terminatingin a slotted extension, and a lever hingedly connected to said bodymember adjacent said extension and forming with said body member a pairof clamping jaws, said lever having a portion shaped to frictionallyengage said extension, upon relative movement of the jaws, whereby thelever will be retained in any desired position of adjustment relative tosaid body member.

3. A clasp comprising a body member formed with a curved end terminatingin a slotted extension, and a lever hingedly connected to said bodymember adjacent said extension and forming with said body member a pairof clamping jaws, said lever having an internal cut-out porionpositioned to receive and engage said eXtension, upon relative movementof the jaws, whereby the lever will be retained in any desired positionof adjustment relative to said body member.

4. A clasp comprising a body member formed with a curved end terminatingin a slotted extension, and a lever hingedly connected to said bodymember adjacent said extension, and forming with said body member a pairof clamping jaws, said lever having an internal cut-out portion, theedges of which are serrated and positioned to engage said extension,upon relative movement of the jaws, whereby the lever will be retainedin any desired position of adjustment relative to said body portion.

5. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together at one end, one ofSaidjaws having adjacent the hinged end a transverse extension and theother of said jaws having a cut-out portion positioned to receive saidextension and frictionally engage same upon relative movement of thejaws whereby said jaws may be retained in any desired position ofadjustment rela-tive to each other.

6. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together at one end, one ofsaid jaws having adjacent the hinged end a transverse extension and theother of said jaws having a cutout portion formed with serrated internaledges, said portion being located to receive said extension with theserrated edges engaging said extension, upon relative movement of thejaws, whereby said jaws may be retained in any desired position ofadjustment relative to each other.

7. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged t0- gether at one end, oneof said jaws having ad- -jacent the hinged end a pair of transverselyextending ngers disposed in substantially parallel relation to eachother, and the other of said jaws having a cut-out portion positioned toreceive said iingers and frictionally engage same upon relative movementof the jaws whereby said jaws may be retained in any desired position ofad` justment relative to each other.

8. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together at one end, one ofsaid jaws having adjacent the hinged end a pair of transversely eXtend-5 ing ngers disposed in substantially parallel relation to each other,and the other of said jaws having a cut-out portion formed with serratedinternal edges, said portion being located to receive said ngers withthe serrated edges engag 10 ing same, upon relative movement of thejaws, whereby said jaws may be retained in any desired position ofadjustment relative to each other.

9. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together at one end, one ofsaid jaws having adja- 15 cent the hinged end a transverse extensionprovided with a slot extending inwardly from the end of the extension toform a pair or resilient fingers andthe other of said jaws having acutout portion positioned to receive said fingers and 20 rictionallyengage same upon relative movement of the jaws, whereby said jaws may beretainedin any desired position of adjustment relativev tof each other.

10. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together at one end, one ofsaid jaws having adjacent the hinged end a transverse: extensionprovided with a slot extending inwardly from the end of the extension toform a pair of resilient fingers and the other of said jaws having acutout portion formed with serrated internal edges, said portion beinglocated to receive said fingers with the serrated edges engaging same,upon relative movement of the jaws, whereby said jaws may be retained inany desired position of adjustment relative to each other.

1l. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together, 'one of said jawshaving a reversely bent end terminating in a pair of fingers disposedsubstantially parallel to each other and jointly forming a spreader, theother of said jaws having a cut-out portion, the internal longitudinaledges of Vwhich are spaced apart a distance slightly less than theover-all width of said spreader, saidv portion being positioned toreceive said spreader 45 upon relative movement of the jaws whereby saidedges will be slightly spread apart by entry of the spreader into saidportion and a close frictional contact maintained between said spreaderand said portion in all positions of adjustment of 50 i the jawsrelative to each other.

l2. A clasp comprising a pair of Ajaws hinged together, one of said jawshaving a reversely bent end terminating in a pair of fingers disposedsubstantially parallel to each other and jointly iorm 55 ing a spreader,the other of said jaws having a cut-out portion, the internallongitudinal edges of which are serrated and spaced apart a distanceslightly less than the over-all width of said spreader, said portionbeing positioned to receive 60 said spreader upon relative movement ofthe jaws whereby said edges will be slightly spread apart by entry ofthe spreader into said portion and the serrations thereof placed inengagement with the sides of said spreader to retain said jaws in 65 anydesired position of adjustment relative to each other.

13. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged together, one of said jawshaving a reversely bent end terminating'in a pair of iingers disposedsub- 70 stantially parallel to each other and jointly forming aspreader, the other of said jaws having a cut-out portionprovided withracks extending along the longitudinal internal edge portions thereof,said racks being spaced apart a distance 75'- l slightly less than theover-all width of said spreader, said portion being positioned toreceive said spreader upon relative movement of the jaws whereby saidedges will be slightly spread apart by entry of the spreader inte saidportion, and a close frictional Contact maintained between said spreaderand said racks in all positions of adjustment of the jaws relative toeach other.

14. A clasp comprising a pair of jaws hinged t0- gether at one end, oneof said jaws having adjacent the hinged end a transverse extension andthe other of said jaws having a cut-out portion positioned to receivesaid extension and friotionally engage same upon relative movement ofthe jaws whereby said jaws may be retained in any desired position ofadjustment relative to each other, said jaws being provided at theirends, remote from the hinged end, with protuberances positioned inwardlyof the clasp and opposite each other, when the clasp is closed.

JOSEPH F. MCSOLEY.

